Lift the Brownie Ban?

The ban on brownies is one step closer to being lifted with the passing of the Michigan Senate Bill 109, which will allow up to three fundraising bake sales in public schools per week.

The bill, provides a way around the Smart Snacks in School standards that disqualifies most bake sale items.

But is it the "right" way?

"Absolutely, " stated State Sen. Patrick Colbeck,, R-Canton Township, author of the Senate bill, who introduced the bill to provide an exemption to support Boy and Girl Scout Troop fundraising efforts.

"(This bill is a) common sense change that would balance the need for Boy and Girl Scout troops to raise money, with the federal government's need to regulate food for our youth," Colbeck said in published statement.

The bill will now be sent to the House for consideration and ,if passed, will be forwarded to Gov. Rick Snyder for final consideration.

The one lone "no" vote came from State Sen. Vincent Gregory, D-Southfield, who indicated that three bake sales per week seemed excessive and contradictory to efforts to improve healthy food access and consumption.

In order to adhere to the Smart Snacks in School program guidelines, snack items sold on campus during school hours must be less than or equal to 200 calories.

Certain baked chips, energy bars, fruits and nuts meet the requirement, which demand that a food is from a whole grain-rich product or the first ingredient listed is a "fruit, vegetable, dairy product or protein food, containing at least one-fourth cup of a fruit or vegetable, and 10 percent of potassium, calcium, vitamin D or dietary fiber.

The majority of brownies, cakes and cookies do not.

What do you think? Should brownies and other snack items be banned?

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